Supernanny ....

OMG - my Nanny (actually she's a qualified childcare person) ROCKS! I am so impressed. She is firm but nurturing and so good with the kids. I feel so much better having them looked after in their own environment and it's really quite cheap. It has really enabled me to do some work (OK, so technically I'm not working at the moment, but you get the idea - I can blog and surf the net in peace now, ROLF).

Had a family outing to Thomas Day at Emerald on Sunday. have been waiting to do this since I saw Jen Hone's layout of her trip last year I think! It was a very cool day and the boys were so excited, even Samuel who surprised me with his exuberance! Every time he sees Thomas now he points and screams.

Huge dramas with my project. Not at my end, at their end. It's on the web instead of the paper and they totally stuffed it up. I still get paid, but I want them to do a better job so it looks good.

Later dudes, better get back to it :)

Claire

Comfort from unlikely places ...

My brother touched so many lives. People we didn't even know have been contacting us and telling us how much he supported them and bought sunshine into their lives. It seems he had a collection of female friends he communicated with all over the globe. It's really lovely to hear from these people now. Another amazing thing I didn't even know, was that Roly lobbied state parliament in WA to get an electricity subsidy for quadriplegics who were not able to regulate their own body temperature (apparently called thermoregulatory dysfunction), so that they could afford the air conditioning costs that they needed to stay well and comfortable. In his letter and meeting, he had asked for $10 a week. The thingy got passed in parliament and from January 2007, these people in need will get a $28 a week subsidy on their electricity. It makes me feel good he used his time to do good for others.

Another amazing thing happened yesterday. In a very strange way, I was given a copy of a book that a lady thought I had left on the counter at Myer (I had been there buying some gifts a few minutes earlier). I assured the lady I had my parcels, but looked at the book anyway. It was titled We Are Their Heaven by Allison Dubois and is all about research and real life stories of how people who have passed away communicate with us through a variety of different ways, coincidences, thoughts etc. Coincidences just like this. It was amazing, like I was supposed to find out about this book. Of course I bought it and went straight to the coffee shop and started reading it. The comfort it is bringing me is indescribable.

Roly's passing has also had a profound effect on my scrapbooking. Making the page look pretty just doesn't seem to matter at the moment. I just want to write and write. Not only about him, but about me and about my family and my childhood and our life. I just don't want all these memories to be lost. I'm a women possessed by her journalling pen :)

Did 2 layouts last night but can't share cos they were for a friend who is submitting an article to a scrapping mag.

Josh is settling into Kinder really well. He's now going 2 sessions a week. Yesterday was crazy hair day. I knew those psychedelic scrapbooking ribbons I bought ages ago would be useful for something :) Samuel has a tooth coming through and a cold and is very miserable. He's usually so happy so it's a real shock when he's sad and grumpy. When he is in pain, he has these really scary episodes where he is really anxious and stiff and inconsolable. It;s frightening to watch, but he usually comforts into these sad little sobs on my shoulder. I was supposed to go with Paul to a party tonight, but no way i was leaving him while he gets like this. So it's home for me tonight. I can handle that though. I'm tired and there's a million layouts waiting for me if I feel inspired.

Enough waffling from me - how are you?

Claire xx

I survived week one ....

Phew, I made it through the first week of my project. I am writing lots of copy for the weekend Herald Sun (on behalf of the state gov health dept) about a healthy summer eating plan - it involves developing menus and accompanying articles about healthy eating for the next 4 weeks. Think it will be in there Saturday or Sunday. The menus all have to be anaylsed to make sure they are nutritionally sound and all this had to be approved by DHS and into the paper by midday today. So this afternoon I had to take Josh out and cash in the bribes I had used to get him to occupy Samuel this morning while I did the last few edits - a new Wiggles CD. Next week will hopefully be less hectic as I have less lead in time and in home childcare for both the boys on Monday and Tuesday. I must say despite the insanity of it all I have really enjoyed the challenge. I didn't enjoy staying up the whole night on Tuesday night and then losing my word file at 5.30am Wednesday morning though :))

So tonight I am going to scrap. Haven't scrapped all week. Have a couple of things to finish for a friend. I am feeling inspired.

Boys are good. A little crazy but good. We had a tea party with the bears this afternoon which was going very nicely until Samuel poured the T pot contents (which was just cold water) over the picnic rug.....

Later dudes xx

Believing in myself ....

I need to do that more. I get so surprised some times. Last week out of the blue I got 'invited' to submit a quote for a 6 week nutrition contract which is exactly the sort of work I would like to find myself doing over the coming years - work from home, high profile, using my skills, pushing me a bit and good money. So I quoted and the next day I got the job! You could have blown me over with a feather. I mean I know I can do this and I know I have the background and skills, but to able to convey that to others and them see that and give me the job is another thing. My head is still spinning.

So - for the next six weeks I will be head down and bum up. We've been spending the weekend getting a bit organised so that we can only have huge amounts of chaos instead of unmanageable amounts :) I'm determined to do a good job and us all be sane at the end of it.

Yes I will still have time for scrapbooking - still having my weekend in December and still going to the Sensationals in November and December. The contract finishes on Dec 8th so I will be going to the last all day / all night one too :) Should be able to get some serious scrapping (or some serious fluffing, LOL) in then:)

Worked yesterday and last night took the boys out for an early family dinner at Fasta Pasta (cos I know they will at least eat pasta). Some of you may recall my first attempt to have a family dinner at a restaurant - that time was about 10 months ago - we went to a Mexican restaurant and it was 40 degrees and their air con was non existent and Josh would only eat flour tortilla (with nothing in it) and also managed to wet his pants while Samuel screamed the whole time. Cost us $70 for about half an hour of getting cooked and stressed! It has taken me until now to brave it again (funny how brave you are when you can't be stuffed cooking). I am happy to report it was rather civilised (perhaps with the possible exception of Josh doing his circus ringmaster impression mid meal - yelling 'Ladies and Gentleman' out of the blue. Josh scoffed his pasta, Samuel scoffed half of mine and they both had an icecream (well 'wore' would have been a better description for Samuel) but it was nice to spend some fun time as a family. On the way home we made up songs about Sam getting stuck in the slide on Monday. It was fun.

Hey y'all ....

Should be breaking into a chorus of 'Sweet Home Alabama' after that title (thinking of Kimmy when I wrote that!).

Time for a random post me thinks:

1. My head hurts again. I have had migraines since I was in my teens which is getting close to 30 years and quite frankly I've had enough of them. Hardly ever got them when I was pregnant and breastfeeding, but that's an expensive way to cure migraines :)
2. So much for quiet country life - a hugely noisy truck just went past. How rude as it's after midnight (but maybe it's transporting chocolate in which case I forgive them).
3. No I haven't been drinking.
4. How can two children so small create such a humungous mess every day?
5. I am very excited about Christmas - yes allready. We bought this elcheapo singing xmas tree toy thingy in KMart last week and the boys scream with delight every time the crazy thing runs accross the floor singing 'Oh Christmas Tree'
6. Scrapping rocks
7. Blogs rock

Night lovelies :)